Wire protecting member and wire harness

ABSTRACT

Two meshes  10   a,    10   b  comprising split fibers  11   a,    11   b  of oriented reinforced polyolefin are stacked together, thereby forming a wire protecting member 1. Adhesive tapes  12   a,    12   b  are bonded to a front face of the mesh  10   a . With this construction, a protecting performance of the wire protecting member  1  is enhanced, and its lightweight design is achieved.

BACKGROUND ART

The present invention relates to a wire protecting member particularlyfor a wire harness which can be made more lightweight.

Generally, a wire harness is mounted on a vehicle body, and thereforeis, in some cases, installed in contact with an interfering object suchas a metal edge portion of the vehicle body. And, it is expected thatinsulators of a group of wires within the wire harness are damaged byvibration of the metal edge portion of the vehicle body, thus causing ashort-circuiting accident and a wire-cutting accident for the wiregroup. There are also occasions when the wire harness is installed notwithin the vehicle body but on the outside of the vehicle body forreasons of a design. In this case, it is expected that for example, apebble or the like thrown up by a tire strikes directly against the wireharness, thus causing similar accidents as described above.

Therefore, there has been provided a wire harness in which a sheathportion of the wire harness is formed into an inner/outer two-layerstructure, and a gap is formed between an outer sheath portion and aninner sheath portion, and the outer sheath portion slides, together withan interfering object, relative to the inner sheath portion so that theouter sheath portion will be hardly worn by the interfering object (see,for example, Patent Literature 1).

[Patent Literature 1] JP-A-2006-253072

Such a wire harness is excellent in wear resistance, and maintains alightweight design. However, there has been a demand for a morelightweight design for reasons of energy conservation, easiness of amounting operation, etc.

SUMMARY

The present invention has been made in view of the above problem, and anobject thereof is to provide a wire protecting member and a wire harnesswhich can solve the above problem.

In order to solve the above problem, the present invention provides awire protecting member for covering an outer periphery of a wireharness, comprising:

a mesh which is formed of reinforced fibers.

In the wire protecting member, preferably, a plurality of the meshes arestacked together.

In the wire protecting member, preferably, a direction of the reinforcedfibers in one mesh among the plurality of meshes is different from adirection of the reinforced fibers in other mesh.

In the wire protecting member, preferably, an adhesive layer is providedon a surface of the mesh.

According to the present invention, there is provided a wire harnessprotected by the above wire protecting member.

In the wire harness, preferably, an axial direction of the reinforcedfibers of the mesh of the wire protecting member is oblique relative toa direction of extending of a plurality of wires forming the wireharness.

The wire protecting member of the present invention comprises the meshof the reinforced fibers, and therefore can be made lightweight, and thewire harness made more lightweight with the use of this wire protectingmember can be supplied.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A is a front-elevational view of an embodiment 1 of a wireprotecting member of the present invention, and FIG. 1B is a rightside-elevational view of the wire protecting member.

FIGS. 2A to 2C are perspective views showing a procedure of winding andholding the wire protecting member of FIG. 1 onto a wire group.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an installed condition(perpendicularly-intersecting) of a wire harness on a metal edgeportion.

FIG. 4 is a front-elevational view of an embodiment 2 of a wireprotecting member of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing an installed condition (oblique) ofa wire harness on a metal edge portion.

FIG. 6 is a front-elevational view of an embodiment 3 of a wireprotecting member of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a front-elevational view of an embodiment 4 of a wireprotecting member of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a front-elevational view of an embodiment 5 of a wireprotecting member of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below withreference to the drawings.

Embodiment 1

FIGS. 1A and 1B are a front-elevational view and a rightside-elevational view of a wire protecting member 1, respectively. Thiswire protecting member 1 is formed by two meshes 10 (10 a, 10 b) ofreinforced fibers stacked together.

With respect to the stacking of the two meshes, the stacking is effectedin such a manner that longitudinal split fibers 11 a in the first mesh10 a are disposed parallel to longitudinal split fibers 11 a in thesecond mesh 10 b. With respect to fiber directions of lateral splitfibers 11 b, also, the stacking is made similarly. With thisconstruction, there is formed the wire protecting member 1 having aprotecting performance as a sheath of a wire harness.

Each mesh 10 is formed by a large number of longitudinal split fibers 11a (comprising reinforced fibers) and a large number of lateral splitfibers 11 b (comprising reinforced fibers) which intersect each otherand are thermally fused together. For example, an oriented reinforcedpolyolefin is suitably used as this reinforced fiber since it isexcellent in mechanical properties such as a tensile strength, a tearstrength and so on, waterproof and moisture-proof properties andchemical resistance, and besides is very lightweight, and is economical.

A front-end adhesive tape portion 12 a is bonded to a left end portionof a front face of the first mesh 10 a, and a rear-end adhesive tapportion 12 b is bonded to a right end portion of this front face.

Next, a procedure of winding and holding this wire protecting member 1on a wire group 21 comprising a large number of (for example, 6) wiresbundled together will be described with reference to FIGS. 2A to 2C.

First, as shown in FIG. 2A, the wire protecting member 1 is passed fromthis side over an upper portion of the wire group 21, and is foldedback. Here, the adhesive tapes 12 are provided respectively at theopposite end portions of the wire protecting member 1, and therefore thefront-end adhesive tape portion 12 a is disposed at the obverse side(upper side in the drawings) of the folded-back surface, while therear-end adhesive tape portion 12 b is disposed at the reverse side(lower side in the drawings) of that portion of the wire protectingmember disposed at this side.

Then, as shown in FIG. 2B, the wire protecting member 1 further foldedback from this condition is pulled toward this side, and the rear-endadhesive tape portion 12 b is bonded to a suitable portion of thefolded-back surface.

After this rear-end adhesive tape portion 12 b is bonded, the wireprotecting member 1 is wound in a direction of arrow A relative to thewire group 21 from the bonded portion.

Finally, the wire protecting member 1 is wound on the wire group 21 asshown in FIG. 2C, and thereafter the front-end adhesive tape portion 12a is bonded, thereby holding the winding. Further, a vinyl tape 22 iswound on the end portion of this wire protecting member 1 from which thewire group 21 is exposed, thereby windingly holding this end portion.Here, the procedure of winding and holding this wire protecting member 1on the wire group 21 is finished, and the wire harness 2 is completed.

The thus constructed wire harness 2 comprises the reinforced fibermeshes 10, and therefore can meet a more lightweight design. Andbesides, the large number of longitudinal split fibers 11 a (ofreinforced fibers) and the large number of lateral split fibers 11 b (ofreinforced fibers) which form the mesh 10 are formed by polyolefinfibers, and therefore meet the non-halogenation, and are friendly toenvironmental problems, etc., and are suitable.

Furthermore, the construction is such that the meshes 10 are stacked inlayers, and therefore the protecting performance can be enhanced.Namely, in the case where the thus constructed wire harness 2 is, forexample, installed in contact with a metal edge portion 3 of a vehiclebody in perpendicularly-intersecting relation thereto as shown in FIG.3, the performance of protection for the inside wire group 21 can beenhanced even when the metal edge portion 3 or the wire harness 2vibrates, since the wire protecting member 1 comprising the stackedmeshes 10 covers the wire group 21.

Embodiment 2

A wire protecting member 1 according to an embodiment 2 is an example inwhich with respect to the stacked structure of the plurality ofreinforced fiber meshes 10 of the embodiment 1, the stacking is effectedsuch that a fiber direction of longitudinal split fibers 11 a in a firstmesh 10 a and a fiber direction of longitudinal split fibers 11 a in asecond mesh 10 b are not parallel to each other but are different fromeach other (for example, oblique relative to each other). The otherconstituent portions are the same as those of the embodiment 1, andtherefore will be designated by identical reference numerals,respectively, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

FIG. 4 shows the directions of the split fibers of the two meshes 10 a,10 b forming the wire protecting member 1 as well as the positionalrelation of a wire group 21 on which this wire protecting member 1 is tobe wound. It shows the case where the fiber direction of thelongitudinal split fibers 11 a of the second mesh 10 b is not parallelto the direction of the longitudinal split fibers 11 a of the first mesh10 a, but is oblique relative thereto, and an axial direction of thewire group 21 on which the wire protecting member is to be wound isperpendicular to the direction of the longitudinal split fibers 11 a ofthe first mesh 10 a.

The wire protecting member 11 is formed by these meshes 10 a, 10 b, andthis wire protecting member 1 is wound relative to the wire group 21 asdescribed above, thereby forming a wire harness 2.

The thus constructed wire harness 2 achieves the same advantages as inthe embodiment 1 with respect to the meeting with a more lightweightdesign and also with respect to the non-halogenation, environmentalproblems, etc.

Furthermore, the construction is such that the meshes 10 a, 10 bdifferent in the direction of the split fibers 11 are stacked in layers,and therefore the protecting performance can be enhanced regardless of acontact angle of the wire harness 2 interfering with an edge. Namely, inthe case where the thus constructed wire harness 2 is, for example,installed in contact with the metal edge portion 3 of the vehicle bodyin perpendicularly-intersecting relation thereto as shown in FIG. 3, theperformance of protection for the inside wire group 21 can be enhancedeven when the metal edge portion 3 or the wire harness 2 vibrates, sincethe wire protecting member 1 comprising the stacked meshes 10 covers thewire group 21. Furthermore, in the case where the wire harness isinstalled in contact with a metal edge portion 3 of the vehicle body inan oblique direction thereto as shown in FIG. 5, the performance ofprotection for the inside wire group 21 can be enhanced even when themetal edge portion 3 or the wire harness 2 vibrates, since thedirections of the split fibers 11 of the stacked meshes 10 a, 10 b aredifferent from each other. Thus, with the wire protecting member 1 ofthis embodiment, the performance of protection for the inside wire group21 against the interference from various directions can be enhanced.

Embodiment 3

A wire protecting member 1 according to an embodiment 3 is an examplewhich is formed by one mesh 10 in contrast with the stacked structure ofthe plurality of reinforced fiber meshes 10 of the embodiment 1. Theother constituent portions are the same as those of the embodiment 1,and therefore will be designated by identical reference numerals,respectively, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

FIG. 6 shows the directions of split fibers of the mesh 10 forming thewire protecting member 1 as well as the positional relation of a wiregroup 21 on which this wire protecting member 1 is to be wound. It showsthe case where the direction of the longitudinal split fibers 11 a ofthe mesh 10 is perpendicular to an axial direction of a wire harness 2on which the wire protecting member is to be wound.

The wire protecting member 1 is formed by this mesh 10, and this wireprotecting member 1 is wound relative to the wire group 21 as describedabove, thereby forming the wire harness 2.

The thus constructed wire harness 2 comprises the reinforced fiber mesh10, and does not have a stacked structure, and therefore as comparedwith the above-mentioned embodiments, its weight can be reduced by anamount corresponding to the weight of one mesh 10. In such a use inwhich greater importance is attached to the lightweight design of thewire harness 2 than to the protecting performance thereof, such a wireprotecting member having no stacked structure is suitable.

Furthermore, with respect to the non-halogenation and environmentalproblems, etc., the same advantages as in the embodiment 1 are achieved.

Embodiment 4

A wire protecting member 1 according to an embodiment 4 is an example inwhich an adhesive tape 12 as bonded to the front face of the reinforcedfiber mesh 10 of the embodiment 1 is not provided at each of oppositeend portions of a front face of a mesh 10, but is provided at one endportion of the front face of the mesh 10. The other constituent portionsare the same as those of the embodiment 1, and therefore will bedesignated by identical reference numerals, respectively, and detaileddescription thereof will be omitted.

FIG. 7 shows the case where the adhesive tape 12 is provided at one endportion of the front face of the first mesh 10 a forming the wireprotecting member 1.

This mesh 10 a and a second mesh 10 b form the wire protecting member 1,and this wire protecting member 1 is wound relative to a wire group 21as described above, thereby forming a wire harness 2.

In the thus constructed wire harness 2, the adhesive tape is used onlyat the one end portion, and therefore as compared with the embodiments 1to 3, its weight can be reduced by an amount corresponding to the weightof one adhesive tape.

Furthermore, with respect to the non-halogenation and environmentalproblems, etc., the same advantages as in the embodiment 1 are achieved.

Embodiment 5

A wire protecting member 1 according to an embodiment 5 is an example inwhich an adhesive tape 12 as bonded to the front face of the reinforcedfiber mesh 10 of the embodiment 1 is not provided at each of oppositeend portions of a front face of a mesh 10, but is provided on the wholeof the front face of the mesh 10. The other constituent portions are thesame as those of the embodiment 1, and therefore will be designated byidentical reference numerals, respectively, and detailed descriptionthereof will be omitted.

FIG. 8 shows the case where the adhesive tape 12 is provided on thewhole of the front face of the first mesh 10 a forming the wireprotecting member 1.

This mesh 10 a and a second mesh 10 b form the wire protecting member 1,and this wire protecting member 1 is wound relative to a wire group 21as described above, thereby forming a wire harness 2.

In the thus constructed wire harness 2, the adhesive tape is bonded tothe whole of the front face, and therefore the winding/holding functioncan be fully performed. Therefore, the vinyl tape 22 windingly holdingthe end portion of the wire protecting member 1 from which the wiregroup 21 is exposed becomes unnecessary. Therefore, the weight isreduced by an amount corresponding to the weight of the vinyl tape ascompared with the embodiments 1 to 4.

Furthermore, with respect to the non-halogenation and environmentalproblems, etc., the same advantages as in the embodiment 1 are achieved.

Other Embodiments

In the above embodiments 1 to 5, although the fiber direction of thewire protecting member 1 to be wound on the wire group 21 isperpendicular or parallel, this direction may be oblique. Even in thecase where the thus constructed wire harness 2 is, for example,installed in contact with the metal edge portion 3 of the vehicle bodyin an oblique direction thereto, it can maintain the protectingperformance.

Furthermore, in the above embodiments, although the oriented reinforcedpolyolefin fiber has been described, it is not limited to the polyolefinfiber if the lightweight design, economy, strength, etc., can besecured. Furthermore, in such a use in which greater importance isattached to the lightweight design of the wire harness 2 than to theprotecting performance thereof, fibers which are not oriented andreinforced may be used.

Furthermore, in the above embodiments, although there have beendescribed the case where one to two meshes 10 forming the wireprotecting member 1 are used, but in such a use in which greaterimportance is attached to the protecting performance of the wire harness2 than to the lightweight design thereof, three or more are used, and bydoing so, the protecting performance can be further enhanced.

In the above embodiments, although the adhesive tape 12 is used as theadhesive layer, it may be replaced by an adhesive, synthetic glue, tyingband, etc.

Incidentally, the various shapes, dimensions, etc., of the constituentmembers shown in the embodiments are one example, and can be changed invarious ways on the basis of a design requirement, etc.

1. A wire protecting member for covering an outer periphery of a wireharness, comprising: a mesh which is formed of reinforced fibers.
 2. Thewire protecting member according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of themeshes are stacked together.
 3. The wire protecting member according toclaim 2, wherein a direction of the reinforced fibers in one mesh amongthe plurality of meshes is different from a direction of the reinforcedfibers in other mesh.
 4. The wire protecting member according to claim1, wherein an adhesive layer is provided on a surface of the mesh.
 5. Awire harness protected by the wire protecting member according toclaim
 1. 6. The wire harness according to claim 5, wherein an axialdirection of the reinforced fibers of the mesh of the wire protectingmember is oblique relative to a direction of extending of a plurality ofwires forming the wire harness.